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32 and playing in one of the worst basketball leagues in the world?
I think I'd pass.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/s...006371,00.html
AUSTRALIAN NBL star, Sam Mackinnon, will roll the NBA dice later this year with three clubs already interested in seeing what the athletic forward has to offer.
Apart from the Cavaliers, Mackinnon has also attracted camp invites from the Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs.
His profile + stats in NBL are :
http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s...le&profile=101
Does someone know it ?
32 and playing in one of the worst basketball leagues in the world?
I think I'd pass.
some of you are so funny. 32 is not old, its not near too old to play in the NBA or even start out.
...if he can play, he can play.
Yes it is. It's looking like we'll have two roster spots out of 15 open next year. No more senior citizens.32 is not old, its not near too old to play in the NBA or even start out.
He isn't 32 years old.
He is 30 years old and will be 31 years old for the 07-08 season.
I wonder if some australian posters can give us some insight on him. A 30 years old guy who has only played in Australia doesn't look appealing but he seems to be a good defender and rebounder.
no thanks.
Sam is probably the best player in the NBL and I would guess of the "vets" in the league he probably has the most game to translate to the NBA. I'll try and give a bit of an analysis and remain unbiased, but honestly even I don't really follow the NBL I mean I have the Spurs
He was very athletic in his younger years but now is much heavier/musclier to the point where he played the 4 in the latest olympic squad. I imagine the spurs believe he can be the small 4 in a small ball lineup and i would imagine he fills the role better than anyone else on the Spurs roster.
With Sam (in the NBL at least) you get a guy with range to the 3, who shot over 50%, and prime grant hill/lebron numbers. In the NBA the best case scenario would be a "glue guy" style player.
Mackinnon is also probably the best defensive wing in Australia for the last couple of years capturing the DPOY multiple times, averaging about 1.5 block and 2 steals a game.
I dunno to summarise I thought his time was past but he put up easily his most impressive season last carrying his team to a championship.
Strengths
Solid Defender
Good post skills (as a result of playing a lot of 4)
A legitimate forward
Good transition player
Ball of muscle/bulk could get position on the block against many 3/2s
10rips per game (lead league), very solid rebounder at any level
Good Passer
Good basketball IQ
Weaknesses
Probably cant create his own shot in the NBA
Quickness might be an issue
Only a passable jumpshooter
Ballhandling is only passable (probably better than Fin though)
Only 6'6.. pretty small these days for a 3... especially one who would play small ball 4
Theres a reason hes 30 and playing in the worst league in the world.
No thanks.
Use the roster spots on James White and Butler, and theres other young players that will be drafted, that the spots would be better wasted on, HONESTLY.
incorrect.
Just FYI as bad as the NBL is, there are worse the Asian leagues are shocking and have still managed to produce Yao and a couple of new kids that will be joining up in the next couple of years. The NBL house Stephen Jackson, Brett Brown (see Spurs coaching staff) and the great Shane Heal... ughh yeah... screw that it was sweet as when he dropped like 30 on the US back in the day
Never the less some of em do occasionally pan out.
P.S. Shane Heals line for the season just completed.... 20/3/5
see Andrew Gaze
In years we need to fill roster slots... maybe.
This year: why? Will he take Derrick Byars' slot?
Mackinnon is not NBA worthy. As much as i hate to admit it , winning our MVP award just goes to show how the standard of our league has dropped. I wouldn't go as far to say we are the worst league in the world but when it comes to money we just can't compete with the rest. Bball is probably now the 4th or 5th biggest sport in OZ. As a result the standard of the imports has taken a big hit.
He stil got some of his leap but his athleticism is not the same as it used to be because of injuries. For the position he plays and his height he wouln't be quick enough and his shot would struggle with an NBA 3-point line. Like all ballers, he just gotten smarter with age but for Nba standards he just doesn't cut it.
Thanks xcoriate and Slippy for the infos.
I see nothing wrong with Spurs trying to get him for their summer league or the training camp.
It looks like that Spurs won't have a lot of available roster spots this year but you never know. After some trades and retirements, Spurs can have some roster spots open.
The Spurs aren't in the position to have a Sean Marks mascot or Andrew Gaze on the team. We have no room in the house for a Down Under exchange student and suggest he applies in a few years.
hahhahaaahahaha no
earnin nba minimum for one season is better than earnin AUS$250-350k a year, even if you are the best player in the nbl.
and dude is n
one time in highschool he came for some BS bball drill, dude wore trackies and you can clearly see he had a stiff which was quite funny, the ballers that came was all staring at the italian teacher....and all the students can see it hahahahhahaa
funniest was playing that ft game, and some transfer student wtf doesnt play sport ends up winnin the game and a sign bball. this.
todays game is n , as compared in the 90s, with the melbourne teams rivalry
todays league is all about, sign all the imports who cant even crack the nba and win NBL championships, look at the sydney kings 4peat team = a bunch of imports and shane heal.
look at aussie rules football, its starting to become like the NBA with the zero tolerence BS:
criticism of refs = fine
no push in the back = no handcheck allowed
wats next? smile/clapping ur hands/wtf look at calls = NBA new rules this season
it has become a pussy sport atm, you got all these buff players with tic tac calls, which takes away the physical game in the 80s-90s.
one of the assistant coaches brett brown, the white dude/brunette curly hair you see sitting behind pop most of the time, had a stint at coaching in the aussie league, and he was quite successful in the 90s winnin 1-2 championships i think. His the connection for the aussie players to get a callup in the nba.
chris anstey>sean marks
I'd love the Nuggets to add that kinda player.
I've seen him play in the NBL tournament... he's a smart, tough-nose player. His lack of athleticism due his old age may be a problem but given a clear role within the team, he could be a valuable asset.
I just don't want a contract of 4 yrs/ longer. Maybe 2-3 years.
Sin,Worst Basketball League in the World
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